I don't think those files affect anything EB... It doesn't run now either? Does vanilla run fine?

The ways people with problems have got it to work, I think amounts to these below. Could you verify that this is correct for your situation?

X download map.rwm (didn't work)
X install from scratch (didn't work)
X delete some interfering files that Vista hides in its bowels (not Vista)
? Install using 7-zip rather than installer

You can also download Filemon and run that while you start the game. It won't directly make it work of course, but it will log file access, which may or may not help finding out why it crashes. Remember to limit Filemon's scope to the RTW folder with EB, or there will be tons and tons of garbage data to sift through. I think Tellos Athenaios made a guide somewhere in this subforum on how to set it up.